scarcer; scarcest
1
: deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand : not plentiful or abundant
2
: intentionally absent
made himself scarce at inspection time
scarceness
noun
Examples of scarce in a Sentence
Adjective
Food was getting scarce during the drought.
food was a bit scarce last winter
Adverb
I could scarce believe what I was hearing.
Recent Examples on the Web
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2025
For many students, the question is whether allyship guidelines protect underrepresented groups or limit equal access to career opportunities at a time when MBA jobs are already scarce.
—Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The heavier the pressure on these urban centers, the greater the urgency to divert scarce air defenses away from the front.
—David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Data on international visitor sentiment around gun violence specifically is scarce.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scarce
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Adjective
But lithium, the critical element inside, is costly, scarce, and damaging to extract.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2025
For many students, the question is whether allyship guidelines protect underrepresented groups or limit equal access to career opportunities at a time when MBA jobs are already scarce.
—Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The heavier the pressure on these urban centers, the greater the urgency to divert scarce air defenses away from the front.
—David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Data on international visitor sentiment around gun violence specifically is scarce.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scarce
Cite this Entry
“Scarce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scarce. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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